Your Star
by Jack E. Peace
Summary: While he's alone on his boat away from New Port, Seth wonders about just what he left behind and how big of a mistake he made by leaving Summer.


Disclaimer: None of the characters belong to me; all mentions to _A Walk to Remember _don't belong to me either...duh.

A/N: Here another story set after the finale, sort of a companion piece to "The Way You Laugh", only it centers around Seth. Keep up those great reviews! And enjoy.

The movie wasn't even halfway over before Summer Roberts burst into tears. Seth Cohen wasn't surprised, he had been expecting this. Every time the movie _A Walk to Remember _was brought up around Summer, she got teary eyed and it was even worse whenever the movie was actually playing; the was when the real water works started. And now was no exception.

"It's all right, Summer." Seth said just as he said every time, patting her knee. "It's just a movie."

Summer sniffed and pulled a tissue out of the box beside her. "I know." She sniffed, dabbing at her eyes. "It's just so...sad." Summer sniffed again. "And this _is _my favorite part." She added.

Seth nodded; he knew very well that the scene where Shane West's character gives the dying Mandy Moore her very own star in the wide night sky was his tender-hearted girlfriend's favorite part. "But this is a happy part, Summer." Seth pointed out, trying to stop the tears that would soon fall. "Look, they're even smiling."

Summer snuggled closer to her boyfriend on the couch in her living room and pulled the worn quilt tighter around her shoulders. "Yeah." She agreed. "But it gets sad after this." Tears brimmed in her eyes at the thought of it.

Seth wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the crown of her head. "I know. But remember, it's just a movie." He repeated, enjoying the way Summer's body felt against his.

Summer was silent as she returned her attention to the movie. Her tears started to fall again when Landon Carter presented Jamie Sullivan with the star he had named after her. "It's just so sweet." Summer sniffed, not bothering to wipe her tears away as she pressed her face against Seth's chest.

Seth kissed her forehead and Summer sighed, quietly, contently and remained against his chest. And it was during that moment, watching the movie he had seen so often with the girl he loved that he probably knew it better then the actors themselves, that Seth decided just what to get Summer for the perfect birthday gift.

But that night had been three weeks ago; three weeks before everything had turned upside down, before he had left New Port on his boat, three weeks before Summer's birthday. And as he lay on the small deck of the _Summer Breeze_, staring up at the star-filled night sky, Seth realized that three weeks might as well have been a life time ago.

Out in the middle of some ocean that he vaguely knew the name of and didn't much care for, he saw that it was easier to see the mass of stars that burned high above his head. Seth also figured that was because he was all alone, with no artificial light to mar the beautiful brightness that the stars created. Whatever the case may be, he knew for sure that he wished Summer was with him, wrapping in his arms, keeping him warm from the chilly sea breeze and telling him again why that scene from _A Walk to Remember _was her favorite.

"It's just so sweet that he gave her a star. An actual star!" Summer would say. "A star is different from something like a ring or a necklace because those things can tarnish or get lost. But a star is going to be up there forever."

And that was why Seth had decided to give Summer a star for her birthday, which she was probably celebrating right now, back in New Port. As he thought about his beautiful Summer, his heart ached for her and he knew for the first time since he had left New Port two days ago that he had made a mistake.

After receiving the certificate that made Summer's star official, Seth had practiced for weeks on how he was going to present Summer with her gift. He had spent night after night looking up at the sky and picking the star out of the others around it.

Seth could find it now, without even trying and stared at the star that was Summer's until the brightness started to burn his eyes and he could see it even when he closed his eyes. He imagined that Summer could see the same star from where she was but it almost didn't mean anything, because she would have no idea what she was looking at. He remembered what he was going to say to Summer, after he brought her into her backyard during the big birthday party she had planned on holding. He'd hold her hand as he pointed the star out and when Summer asked what the big deal was he would say, "That star, that's your star."

Seth sniffed and blinked away the tears that threatened to fill his eyes. He rolled over, onto his side, and retrieved the knapsack he had brought along with him. Tucked inside was the certificate that had made the naming of the star official; he hadn't left it behind for Summer to find because he still wanted to give it to her one day, to see her beautiful eyes light up when she understood what the paper meant.

But would that ever happen? Would he ever see Summer again? God he hoped so, because Seth didn't think he could deal with never seeing the woman that he loved again. Why had he even left in the first place, how could he have been so stupid? How could he have left such a beautiful, caring, wonderful person like Summer?

Seth wondered what she was doing right that second; was she throwing the big party she had been planning with everyone around her? Or was she sitting at home alone, curled up on the couch with her favorite blanket wrapped around her shoulders, keeping her warm because he wasn't there to do so?

Seth hoped that she wasn't alone, that she wasn't crying for him. The thought of his gentle Summer upset because of him was enough to make his heart ache even more. Never in his life had he wanted to cause Summer any pain; he had always wanted to be the one to make her pain go away.

With a sigh, Seth rolled up to certificate again and tucked it back into the knapsack. He rolled onto his back once more, staring up at the stars. He imagined himself back in New Port, just as he had many times before, picturing himself back in Summer's living room, on her couch, cuddling her as she cried at _A Walk to Remember_. He heard himself, clear as day, telling her that it was going to be all right, after all, it was just a movie. "I know." Summer would sniff, just as she always did. "But it gets sad after this part."

And as Seth imagined himself wiping away her tears, he found Summer's star up in the lonesome night sky again. And it was only the sight of Summer's star that kept him from being completely alone.


End file.
